Hey, guys... Hello from Texas. I'm a life-long Baptist that is in the process of being received into the Episcopal Church. I've got tons of questions, and it's been a while since I've been this clueless about something. :)

Is this a good place to connect with those who might have had a similar experience? You can read a little more about my journey on the "Canterbury Trail" here:

Hey, guys... Hello from Texas. I'm a life-long Baptist that is in the process of being received into the Episcopal Church. I've got tons of questions, and it's been a while since I've been this clueless about something. :)

Is this a good place to connect with those who might have had a similar experience? You can read a little more about my journey on the "Canterbury Trail" here:

I'm certainly no expert on Episcopalians/Anglicans, but I can give opinions from one who comes from a similar background. I am a Texan and was a life-long Baptist who became an Anglican.

First, we and the Baptists are more alike than different. The law from which all laws derive is love one another, which we all believe. I had a priest who was once riding in a funeral vehicle with a Baptist minister. The minister asked what the Anglicans believe. The priest started enumerating the items in the Nicene Creed. The minister said that he believed the same. (The priest may have left out the part that says, "Catholic.")

You have surely noticed that the structure of the services are very different. (What? They have the Lord's Supper every Sunday?) Whereas Baptists have a somewhat free-flowing evangelical service, Anglicans believe that much of the structure of the mass was ordered by Jesus at the last supper. (This is my blood.) There are evangelical Anglican churches also, where folks raise their hands in the air to pray, but they still preserve the catholic structure of the mass. I'm very happy to be with an Anglo-Catholic parish that celebrates the mass as it has been done for over a thousand years, ritualized and embellished by a host of practitioners, with music to match. That gives me a sense of history not only of the church but also of Christianity. You may wish to shop around for a church in which you feel more comfortable, evangelical or tranditional.

Another thing you should understand is that in Texas there is The Episcopal Church, liberal in theology, and the Anglican Church in North America, conservative, mostly the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. ACNA is more Bible believing, more like the Baptist church.

Finally, what is the difference between the Anglican/Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Church? (After all, fundamental Baptists think we both worship idols!) The answer is simple: same sin, half the guilt!

Welcome to the Episcopal Church and may it be as much a blessing to you as it has been to me. I came to TEC from a much different direction than you; I was raised RCC. One may cultivate sound biblical understanding, deep appreciation for the historic depth of catholic heritage and a profound spirituality within TEC. I wish you boundless blessings and mazel tov.